Douglas Fir: the Long-Time Companion of Cascadia
Image courtesy of Morton Arboretum
If we could nominate an official tree for Cascadia, we’d put down Douglas fir in a heartbeat. To us, Douglas-firs are synonymous with the Pacific Northwest. They’re rugged, beautiful, and durable--and have been useful companions to the inhabitants of the PNW for thousands of years.
Douglas fir’s Latin name is pseudotsuga menziesii, for “false hemlock.” It is in a genus all of its own, genetically distinct from other pines like spruces, hemlocks, firs, cedars, and redwoods. Identifying the Douglas fir was so tricky that scientists tried to classify it 21 different times before settling on the pseudotsuga classification.
Called čəbidac in the Lushootseed language, the people of Cascadia used the Douglas fir for fuel, “to create spear handles, pid-net poles, harpoon parts and other items. The pitch was used for torches as well as being used as a medicinal salve. The pitch was also used to help make containers water-tight...and Douglas-fir needles were brewed into a medicinal tea to treat joint pain.”(1) Today, Douglas firs are commonly used as lumber for housing and telephone poles and as Christmas trees--although there are still some intrepid foragers using needles for teas and even shortbread cookies.(2)
"Douglas-fir Cones" is copyright (c) 2011 Tom Brandt and made available under a CC BY 2.0 license.
Douglas firs also provide needed habitat for red voles and spotted owls. Red voles feed almost exclusively on the needles of the Douglas pine, making the fate of the species highly dependent on the fate of the tree.
In Tacoma and Pierce County, there are Douglas firs all around us. Some of the best ways to identify Douglas firs are by looking at it’s cones and bark. When you look at a cone, you’ll notice that they look different from many other pines. These cones have three-pointed bracts (modified leaves) that stick out from under the cone scales; if you look closely, you can see how they resemble the legs and tail of a mouse sticking out from under the scale. As for bark, it’s “groovy”--deeply fissured--thick, and reddish brown. The way the needles are arranged is another clue for identifying Douglas firs. Needles are arranged spirally around the branch, with a strong resemblance to bottle brushes. Douglas firs will grow 80-330 feet tall and up to 8 feet wide.
And if you find any Douglas firs that you find exceptional while out searching for them--please let us know! We’re working on mapping the exceptional trees in our community, and we rely on sightings and nominations from you. You can help us with this project by
Submit a tree through this Google form
You can send us photographs to info@tacomatreefoundation.org too if you would like us to try to include it in the map
"Squirrel Eating Douglas Fir Seeds" is copyright (c) 2008 grogotte and made available under a CC BY-NC 2.0 license.
Another way to learn about and engage with Douglas firs is through our Nature Explorers program. Our first module was all about Douglas firs, and has several fun, interactive activities to encourage exploration and observation. Add website www.natureexplorers253.com
We’re all impatient for spring, but in the meantime, go find some exceptional firs! They’re green, beautiful, and strong--just like you. We’ll all make it through this winter together.
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